Air conditioning units



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United States Patent 3,092,178 AIR CONDITIONING UNITS Bruce E. Birdsall, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of Dela- Ware Filed May 26, 1954, Ser. No. 432,458 19 Claims. (Cl. 165-1) This invention relates to air conditioning units and, more particularly, to an air conditioning unit provided with means to secure more satisfactory distribution of room air induced into the unit over a heat exchanger therein thus increasing the design capacity of the unit and more satisfactorily mixing the induced air with the stream of air supplied to the unit fro m a central station.

In Carrier Patent No. 2,363,294, granted November 21, 1944, there is disclosed an air conditioning system for a multiroom building which contemplates the supply of conditioned air from a central station at high velocity and static pressure through small conduits to room units placed in the rooms being conditioned. Each room unit includes a heat exchanger through which cold or hot water may be passed depending upon temperature conditions exteriorly of the building. The stream of conditioned primary air (cold or warm) from the central station is discharged into the unit at a velocity such as to induce a secondary stream of room air into the unit through the heat exchanger to mix therewith. The mixture of streams is then discharged into the room to cool or heat the same.

While this system is highly effective in operation, I have found that the distribution of room air induced over the coil can be improved to obtain a more satisfactory heat exchange relation thereby improving the capacity of the unit and that the air streams can be mixed together more adequately prior to their discharge into the room being conditioned. It will be appreciated an increase in the efiicieney of the coil increases the capacity of the unit so that smaller and lesser expensive room units may be provided while an improvement in the mixing of the air streams reduces the possibility of drafts in the room and aids in the more satisfactory distribution of the treated air throughout the room.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide an improved room unit of the type employed in the air conditioning system above described.

An object of the invention is to provide an air conditioning unit containing an inducing member which aids in the distribution of induced air over the heat exchanger of the unit and assists in mixin streams of primary air r and secondary air within the unit.

A further object is to provide an improved method of air conditioning which involves the elimination of uncomfortable conditions in a room being treated by the elimination of drafts and more satisfactory distribution of air supplied to the room. Other objects of the invention will be readily perceived from the following description.

This invention relates to an air conditioning unit which comprises, in combination, a coil, means to discharge a stream of air adjacent the coil to induce a secondary stream of air through the coil, in heat exchange relation with a medium passing through the coil, and vertically extending hollow means spaced from the discharging means adapted to receive the greater portion of the discharged stream, said means being of substantial depth and serving to discharge air therefrom at a velocity such that a tertiary stream of air is induced through the coil to mix therewith.

This invention further relates to a method of air conditioning in which the steps consist in discharging a stream of conditioned primary air into a conditioning unit placed BfihZJ'Z-ifi Patented June 4, 1963 ice in an area to be conditioned to induce a stream of secondary air from the area through a heat exchanger in the unit to modify its sensible heat, passing the mixture into a secondary inducer member in the unit, discharging the mixture of air from the inducer member to induce additional secondary air through the heat exchanger, and dischar ing the mixture into the area being conditioned.

The attached drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective View of the air conditioning unit installed in a room being conditioned;

FIGURE 2 is a view in front elevation of the base unit with the coil removed;

FIGURE 3 is a view in side elevation of the base unit With the coil in place within the unit;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the base unit;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the inducer member;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view of the nozzle plate of the base unit; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional View of a nozzle.

Referring to the attached drawings, there is shown an air conditioning unit 2 in place beneath a window of a room being treated. Unit 2 includes a base unit 3 (refer to FIGURES 24) and a casing or cover 4 having an inlet 5 and an outlet 6. It will be appreciated the casing 4 may be omitted and the base unit 3 furred in, if desired; in such case, the inlet and outlet are, of course, provided in the furred in structure to permit room air to be induced into the unit and the treated air to be supplied to the room.

The plenum chamber 7 of base unit 3 is connected to a central station by small conduits, as described in Patent No. 2,363,294, in order that a stream of primary air or conditioned air may be supplied at high velocity and high static pressure to each air conditioning unit. Coil 8 mounted in the base unit is also connected to a central station to permit hot or cold water to be passed therethrough for a purpose hereinafter described. Coil 8 may be a finned coil, induced air being drawn into the unit between the fins.

Base unit 3 includes a supporting structure 2% supporting plenum chamber 7 at the bottom of the unit, coil 8 suspended adjacent the front of the unit, and an inducer member 9 placed rearwardly of coil 8 and above plenum 7. Plenum 7 has its upper surface formed by a nozzle plate 10 having a plurality of spaced groups of nozzles 11 formed therein (refer to FIGURES 6 and 7). Preferably, the nozzles 11 in each group are arranged in rows, nozzles in one row being ofiset from nozzles in an adjacent row of the group.

inducer member 9, preferably (refer to FIGURE 5), is formed from a single metal sheet so bent as to form a plurality of vertically extending passages 12 of substantial length situated above and adjacent each group of nozzles. Member 9 is placed above the nozzles a distance such that the greater portion of the discharged air enters the passages 12. The metal sections 13 formeach passage are curvilinear in contour and shaped to form a vertically extending passage of decreasing cross- .sectional area from the inlet 14 of the passage to its outlet 15. Metal sections 13 are connected by sections 16 which are secured to a support member 17 by any suitable means. Support 17 is provided with spaced hooks 18 which permit the inducer to be suspended from the supporting structure 20 at the rear of the base unit in desired position. Sections 13, if desired, may be provided with reenforcing ribs 19. Support 17 forms the rear wall of passages 12.

While I have described inducer 9 as being formed from a single metal sheet, it will be understood each passage 12 may be formed separately if desired. The distances the inlets 14 of the passages 12 are placed from the nozzles may be varied depending upon the velocity of air desired leaving the passages and the volume of room air it is desired to induce and mix with the primary air Stream between the nozzles and the inlets of the inducer.

The metal wall 13 forming each passage 12 is inclined outwardly andrdownwardly from the outlet 15 and has a portion 21 extending outwardly from support 17, an armate portion 22 and a portion 23 extending inwardly from arcuate portion 22 to contact support 17. Preferably,

.these wall portions forming one passage are attached to an adjacent wall forming a similar passage spaced from the first passage and connected thereto by sections 16. These passages, preferably, are in the same plane and are similar, each being placed above a separate group of nozzles.

Considering the method of operation of the unit, a stream of conditioned primary air is supplied from a central station to plenum 7 of base unit 3, the primary air being discharged into the unit from the plenum through I nozzles 11.. Discharge of primary air through the nozzles creates a low pressure area at the nozzle outlets and induces secondary air through the lower portion of coil 8 it will be appreciated room air induced within the unit substantially surrounds. each passage. Discharge of the.

mixed'air streams creates secondary low pressure areas at the points of discharge and induces additional room air through the upper portion of the coil into the unit to mix therewith. By inducing room air at these separate points, it will be appreciated more satisfactory distribution, of the induced room air over the coil is obtained. Themixed air streams are then discharged into the room through outlet 6 to condition the room. It will appreciated the primary air is supplied to the unit'in a substantially constant volume, and that flow of hot or cold water through the coil may be varied to adjust the sensible heat of the induced room The inducer member 9' permits more satisfactory distribution of the induced air over the coil of the unit thus considerably increasing the capacity of the unit. In addi- 7 will be appreciated that thesize of the unit may be decreased so that it requires less floor space; thus a smaller unit may be employed to provide the same capacity as V .a larger unit heretofore employed.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my inventiomit' will be understood that my invention is not limited thereto since it may be otherwise embodied withr in the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an air conditioning unit, the combination of a coil, means for supporting said coil, means to discharge a stream of air in a substantially vertical direction adjacent the coil .to induce a secondary stream of air through the coil in heat exchange relation with a medium passing through the coil, vertically extending hollow means s'paced above the discharging means adapted to receive the greater portion of the discharged stream, said means being of substantial depth and serving to discharge air therefrom V at a velocity such that a tertiary stream of air is induced stream, vertically extending,

through the coil to mix therewith, and means for enclosing said unit including an inlet to permit air to be induced through the coil and an outlet to permit flow of mixed air from the unit.

2. An air conditioning unit according to claim 1 in which said means comprise a plurality of vertically extending, hollow curvilinear'members, each member having 'an inlet and an outlet, the wall of each member forming a vertically extending passage of decreasing cross-sectional area from its inlet. a

3. An air conditioning unit according to claim 2 in which said members are formed from a single metal sheet and are connected to each other.

4. An air conditioning unit according to claim 3 in which a support on which said members are mounted forms the rear walls of the passages.

5. In an air conditioning unit, the combination of a base unit including a plenum chamber, nozzle means in a wall of said chamber to discharge a stream of air therefrom at a velocity sufiicient to induce a secondary stream of air from the area being conditioned to mix therewith,

a coil placed adjacent said nozzle means and in the path of the secondary stream through :which a medium passes in heat exchange relation with the secondary stream, vertically extending hollow means spaced above the discharging means adapted to receive the greater portion of the discharged stream, said means being of substantial depth and serving to discharge air therefrom at a velocity such that a tertiary stream of air is induced through the coil to mix therewith, and means placed over the base unit to conceal the same, said means having an inlet therein to permit area air to be induced into the unit and an outlet to permit air to be discharged from the unit into the area being conditioned.

6 An air conditioning unit according to claim 5 in which the hollow means'comprise a plurality of vertically extending hollow curvilinear members, each member having an inlet and an outlet, the wall of each member forming a vertically extending passage of decreasing cross-- which a support on which said members are mounted forms the rear walls of the passage.

9. In an air conditioning'unit, the combination of a base unit including a plenum chamber, spaced groups of nozzles arranged in a wall of said chamber through which a stream of air is discharged at a velocity sutficient to induce a secondary stream of air from the area to mix therewith, a coil placed adjacent the nozzles and in the path of the secondary stream through which a medium passes in heat exchange relation with the secondary hollow members placed above the groups of nozzles and spaced therefrom serving to receive the greater portion of the air stream discharged from the nozzles, said members being of substantial depthand serving to discharge air therefrom at a velocity such that a tertiary stream of air is induced through the coil to mix therewith, and means placed over the base unit to conceal the same, said means having an inlet through which air is induced and an outlet through which the mixture of air is discharged.

10. An air conditioning unit: according to claim 9 in which nozzles in each group are arranged in rows, nozzles which said members are curvilinear in contour, each member having an inlet and an outlet, the wall of each member forming a vertically extending passage of decreasing crosssectional area from its inlet.

12. An air conditioning unit according to claim 11 in which the members are formed from a single metal sheet and are connected to each other.

13. An air conditioning unit according to claim 12 in which a support on which said members are mounted forms the rear walls of the passage.

14. in a method of air conditioning, the steps which consist in discharging "a stream of conditioned primary air into a conditioning unit placed in an area to be conditioned to induce a stream of secondary air from the area through a heat exchanger in the unit to modify its sensible heat, passing the mixture into a secondary inducer member in the unit, discharging the mixture of air from the inducer member to induce additional secondary air through the heat exchanger, and discharging the mixture into the area being conditioned.

15. A method of air conditioning according to claim 14 in which the primary air is discharged through spaced groups of nozzles into the conditioning unit, the secondary air being induced on all sides of the nozzles to aid in mixing the streams of air.

16. A method of air conditioning according to claim 14 in which the secondary air is induced between the spaced nozzle groups and to the rear of the groups to permit more satisfactory mixture or" the air streams.

17. In a method of air conditioning, the steps which consist in discharging a stream of conditioned primary air into a conditioning unit placed in an area to be conditioned, discharge of the primary air inducing secondary air from the area through a heat exchanger in the unit to modify its sensible heat, supplying the mixture to an inducer member having a plurality of vertically extending passages therethrough, each passage having a decreasing cross-sectional area from its inlet to its outlet, thereby increasing the velocity of the mixture, discharging the mixture from the inducer member to induce additional secondary air through the heat exchanger to mix with the discharged air and discharging the mixture into the area being conditioned.

18. A method of air conditioning according to claim 17 in which primary air is discharged through spaced groups of nozzles, each group being placed below and vertically spaced from a passage in the secondary inducer and discharging the primary air into the passage.

19. A method of air conditioning according to claim 18 in which secondary air is induced into the primary air stream discharged from each group of nozzles from all sides of the nozzles thereby aiding in mixing the air streams.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 600,077 Horsley Mar. 1, 1898 685,117 Earle Oct. 22, 1901 1,912,596 Schmidt June 6, 1933 1,938,846 M'asury et a1 Dec. 12, 1933 1,939,836 Tolfree Dec. 19, 1933 2,122,168 Woolley June 28, 1938 2,348,127 Grimes May 2, 1944 2,429,508 Belaieff Oct. 21, 1947 2,501,795 Stephens Mar. 28, 1950 2,548,665 Grant Apr. 10, 1951 2,567,758 Ashley Sept. 11, 1951 2,593,096 Brusdal Apr. 15, 1952 2,633,070 Gillham Mar. 31, 1953 2,683,025 Matulaites July 6, 1954 2,683,626 Washlin July 13, 1954 

1. IN AN AIR CONDITIONING UNIT, THE COMBINATION OF A COIL, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID COIL, MEANS TO DISCHARGE A STREAM OF AIR IN A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL DIRECTION ADJACENT THE COIL TO INDUCE A SECONDARY STREAM OF AIR THROUGH THE COIL IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATION WITH A MEDIUM PASSING THROUGH THE COIL, VERTICALLY EXTENDING HOLLOW MEANS SPACED ABOVE THE DISCHARGING MEANS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE GREATER PORTION OF THE DISCHARGED STREAM, SAID MEANS BEING OF SUBSTANTIAL DEPTH AND SERVING TO DISCHARGE AIR THEREFROM AT A VELOCITY SUCH THAT A TERTIARY STREAM OF AIR IS INDUCED THROUGH THE COIL TO MIX THEREWITH, AND MEANS FOR ENCLOSING SAID UNIT INCLUDING AN INLET TO PERMIT AIR TO BE INDUCED THROUGH THE COIL AND AN OUTLET TO PERMIT FLOW OF MIXED AIR FROM THE UNIT. 